The treatment of long bone fractures typically involves the open reduction and internal fixation of the fracture using complex plate and screw systems, or the insertion of precisely tailored intramedullary metal rods. Such systems require an open incision and placement of metal hardware that must be specifically scaled to the size of the bone and type of fracture. The inventory of orthopedic hardware devices a given hospital must keep available is large, with a high associated cost of storage and close monitoring of availability, so as not be found lacking at the time of surgery. Moreover, in many patients with osteoporosis the weakened bone cannot support the internal fixation screws placed for open reduction with the plate and screw system. There is a significant risk of the screws to pull free from the osteoporotic bone with loss of the fracture reduction.